Oil burners are primarily used as a method of heating. An oil burner is also a burning appliance which burns 6, #3, and #5 heating oils, diesel, gas or other fuels. In the United States natural ultra low density diesel is usually the main fuel used. It is colored red to indicate that it is tax exempt. The American motorist uses oil burners for their everyday energy needs. A number of these units have a thermostat which allows the pilot to regulate the temperature in the engine compartment.

The fuel mixture travels through an exhaust tube and into the combustion chamber where oil is burned in a typical oil burner. At the end of the combustion chamber there is a safety valve that restricts the mixture. When the mixture becomes too hot (aromatic), the pressure rises inside the safety valve that shuts off the flow of mixture. A safety control valve may also be designed to allow the flow of all the mixture at once if a certain level of thermal burn-up is reached. This prevents overheating of the components and the overall safety of the engine.

There are several different types of oil burners such as gas, electric and mechanical. Gas burners use oil to burn the gas and propane and usually have a safety switch which stops the operation when the temperature reaches a certain point. Electric oil burners work by passing current through the lines and burning the fuel using electricity. Mechanical oil burners work by mixing the fuel with air to create a gaseous mixture which then burns. All three types have their own benefits and shortcomings.